Discourse analysis applied to song lyrics                        Kertész Dóra

The definition of a discourse is moderately liberal since we call that any pieces of language performed by people to an audiance or a reader. Each of the participants highly contributes to it by beliefs, opinion and temperament (Harris, 1989).In my essay I would like to deliver a discourse analysis of a song’s lyrics titled, „Tell Him”. As it is a controversial topic whether the method is valid in the field of music, firstly I will seek relevance to my work. Than my analytical steps will be based on the essay”Analysis of the Discourse Structure of Lyrics Poetry” written by Harris (1989).

            The investigation on lyrics is especially important to the science of musicology. According to Bradby (2004) the relevance of discourse analysis is debated in terms of songs, on the other hand, the previous examinations of performed language in lyrics showed basis for this scientific perspective. The content of the texts were observed as well as the context of the musical situations. Another source has proven that the above mentioned analysis is valid for poetic texts (Harris, 1989). She analysed pieces of literature which were originated from songs accompanied by lyre. Moreover, Luke (1985) states that contemporary sources are multi-medial but the raw material remains the natural language as it delivers meaning and social circumstances are mirrored in any form of performance. The narrative meaning of popular-cultural texts (music videos, television ads, films, concerts) is decoded according to strict rules (participants, message, structure). Based upon these works and statements the lyrics of music can also be the subject of discourse analysis.

            The analysis of Harris introduced the concept of Initiating Conversational Participant as the one who has primary purpose with language production (Harris 1989). In this case the songwriters Thomson and Foster had the intention to deliver a message towards the audience who are also participants of the discourse. Another perspective of the context of a song is emphasized in the Reader Responder Theory of Wolfgang Iser which is previewed by Harris. According to that the merit of the production lies in two poles of the performance. The author creates the artistic content and, by the dynamic intervention, the listener interprets the aesthetic pole of the construction. In this case, the songwriter and the public presumably do not know each other but the common precognition makes possible to anybody understand and appreciate the musical format.

The discourse purpose of the song “Tell Him” is the persuasion to profess feelings to the loved one. The dramatic situation of the duet is that two women are talking about love and sharing personal experiences. In the first two stanzas both of them tell about the difficulties they are dealing with:

Stanza (woman 1):       “I'm scared

So afraid to show I care

Will he think me weak?

If I tremble when I speak

What if

There's another one he's thinking of

Maybe he's in love I'd feel like a fool

Life can be so cruel I don't know what to do.“

Stanza (woman 2):       “I've been there

With my heart out in my hand

But what you must understand

You can't let the chance

To love him pass you by!”

This is the preliminary part of the second great discourse segment piece, the chorus:

“Tell him Tell him that the Sun and Moon rise in his eyes

 Reach out to him

And whisper

Tender words so soft and sweet

Hold him close to feel his heart beat

Love will be the gift you give yourself.”

The chorus firstly emphasizes the goal of the lyrics and the second part provides more persuasive evidence by the imaginative picture of an embrace of the loved one. The third and fourth stanzas are in dialogue form. The women indicate their understatement of the other’s view:

“Touch him

With the gentleness you feel inside (I feel it)

Your love can't be denied the truth will set you free

You'll have what's meant to be

All in time you'll see

I love him (Then show him)

Of that much I can be sure (Hold him close to you)

I don't think I could endure

If I let him walk away

When I have so much to say.”

Finally, the bridge stanza is the peak of the passion. It is expressed in the pictures of the lyrics and signified by the accompaniment (Harris, 1989). As an extra support, the participation of instruments completely follows the textual messages decoded in the investigated parts.

The texts derived from musical performance are proven to have the same features as other texts collected for analytical purposes. As a distinctive feature the importance or co-existence of accompaniment could have raised a question about segments of analysis but it completely follows the textual messages decoded in the investigated construction of the lyrics. In my essay I primarily used the written format of language but considered the social and functional connections of the participants.

References

Bradby, B. (2004). Discourse Analysis, Popular Music Studies. New York, United States: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd. 12(1)

Harris, M.D. (1989). Computers and Humanities, Analysis of the Discourse structure of Lyric Poetry (pp 423-427), Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press

Luke, A. (1985). Text and Discourse in Education: An Introduction to Critical Discourse Analysis, American Educational Research Journal, 37 (4)

Thomson, L. & Foster, D. (1997). Tell Him, Los Angeles, L. A.: Record Plant Studios

Appendix:                            

Linda Thomson- David Foster: Tell Him

I’m scared
So afraid to show I care
Will he think me weak
If I tremble when I speak
Oooh – what if
There’s another one he’s thinking of
Maybe he’s in love
I’d feel like a fool
Life can be so cruel
I don’t know what to do

I’ve been there
With my heart out in my hand
But what you must understand
You can’t let the chance
To love him pass you by

Tell him
Tell him that the sun and moon
Rise in his eyes
Reach out to him
And whisper
Tender words so soft and sweet
Hold him close to feel his heart beat
Love will be the gift you give yourself

Touch him
With the gentleness you feel inside
Your love can’t be denied
The truth will set you free
You’ll have what’s mean to be
All in time you’ll see

I love him
Of that much I can be sure
I don’t think I could endure
If I let him walk away
When I have so much to say

Love is light that surely glows
In the hearts of those who know
It’s a steady flame that grows
Feed the fire
with all the passion you can show
Tonight love will assume its place

This memory time cannot erase
Blind faith will lead love where it has to go

Never let him go